{"id":955,"date":"2022-01-28T22:55:04","date_gmt":"2022-01-29T05:55:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.sdmetal.org\/msm\/?p=955"},"modified":"2022-01-30T00:26:50","modified_gmt":"2022-01-30T07:26:50","slug":"damn-the-machine-1993-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sdmetal.org\/msm\/damn-the-machine-1993-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"Damn The Machine: Self-Titled (1993) and “Day One” (2021)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Of the various post-Megadeth<\/strong> projects that Chris Poland was involved in, Damn The Machine<\/a><\/strong> is perhaps his most perplexing effort. The fact that it came out on a mainstream music label in 1993, and it\u2019s 1991 “Day One<\/em>” demo was then re-released in October 2021, is also a bit perplexing. A forgotten prog-metal gem from the `90s, or one that is best relegated to the bargain bin? Let\u2019s get all prog nerdy up in here.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There is no doubt that Chris Poland is the big-name draw here. This album came out a few years after \u201cReturn to Metalopolis<\/a><\/em>\u201d \u2013 his first all-instrumental guitar-centric album. \u201cShred\u201d guitar albums were a dime-a-dozen in the very early 90s, mostly from Shrapnel Records<\/a>, but all of the metal labels had a few \u201cguitar hero\u201d releases. Most of these were well-regarded in the guitar nerd magazines, and then quickly forgotten in the grand scheme of things. I can\u2019t imagine that \u201cReturn to Metalopolis<\/em>\u201d would be something that anyone would ever love to death1<\/sup>, but it was a safe bit of shreddy riffy tune\u2019age that Megadeth<\/strong> fans could at least relate to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When the self-titled Damn The Machine<\/strong> came out in 1993, with a \u201cFeat. former Megadeth<\/strong> guitarist Chris Poland!<\/em>\u201d hype sticker slapped onto the album, it was quite a rude shock to many to hear this decidedly different album. Goodbye shreddy guitar god Chris Poland thrash \u2013 hello noodle\u2019ly, overly restrained, and very understated Chris Poland prog metal.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I can appreciate prog metal on most levels \u2013 but certain goalposts need to be hit for it to resonate with me. Interesting time signatures, a crisp backline that adds color and interest to the rhythm sections, tastefully varied guitar leads that don\u2019t try too hard or not enough, variances in tempo and \u201cflavoring\u201d, and well-delivered vocals through and through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s what makes this album so difficult to love: of the 12 tracks, not one song truly hits all of those goalposts. Dave Clemmons\u2019 vocals are way too often too thin and way too reedy (\u201cGet this man some oxygen, stat!\u201d), but yet are weirdly workable on some of the more sedate tracks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The “big hit single” from the 1993 self-titled album, “The Mission”, lays bare just how problematic the vocals are across much of this album: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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